


spots and stripes

by halcyonskies



Series: 100Themes: Dean/Cas [8]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Arranged Marriage, First Meetings, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, deer!castiel, tiger!Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-25
Updated: 2015-09-25
Packaged: 2018-04-23 08:19:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4869845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halcyonskies/pseuds/halcyonskies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Well, time to make the best of the situation. It's not like he hasn't already been doing that his whole life anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	spots and stripes

**Author's Note:**

> 100Themes Challenge - #14: Inevitable

From the time he was a fawn, Castiel had known he was destined to be married off to some distant prince or princess. He was one of the lesser sons, hardly eligible for a chance at ruling his homeland, and so he made the perfect bargaining chip for allegiances with neighboring Clans. He'd had his whole life to make peace with it.

Still – standing here, in full regalia before the prince his father had chosen for him, Castiel felt a little unprepared.

His betrothed was a tiger. A _tiger,_ from a Clan to the east – one of the more vicious ones, at that. It seemed like some elaborate joke, a deer marrying a tiger; only, Castiel knew his father hadn't a shred of humor in his body.

Dean Winchester was the crown prince of his homeland, and so would one day be king. Castiel could easily imagine him as a leader of thousands, standing proud and tall and broad, thick orange tail flicking gracefully behind him. Castiel felt like a bumpkin in comparison, with his awkward, floppy ears and his stubby little antlers, which had only just begun to grow back since their February shedding. How coarse he must look to Dean, a tiger that had been groomed for rule his entire life.

After introductions, they were left alone, fathers gone off to discuss how their upcoming union was going to affect relations between their Clans. All Castiel wanted was to run away, hide himself from those slitted eyes green as marbles, but he stood his ground.

“So . . .” he mumbled, racking his brain for any activity they might have in common. Drawing a blank was only too easy considering how much their species differed. “Are you hungry?”

“Only always.” Dean grinned, and the only thing that stopped Castiel from wincing away from the tiger's fangs was how genuine and encouraging his expression was. “Are we allowed to sneak a treat before supper, then?”

“I've been doing it since I was a fawn, so I suppose the cooks won't mind if I bring a – friend – along.”

If Dean noticed his hesitation, he didn't make a fuss about it. Instead, he gestured wildly with his arm, cocking one of his ears at a jaunty angle that made Castiel smile. “Lead the way, Cas.”

Perhaps, Castiel pondered as they started down the hall, building a rapport with Dean would be as simple as offering him a few pinched turnovers from the kitchens. 


End file.
